Composition for detonating explosive charges.



lll lilTE %TAT PTNT EPIC E.

WALTER RUNGE, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO E. I. DU FONT DE NEMOURS POWDER COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE,

JERSEY.

A CORPORATION OF NEW 1,168, ".llti.

No Drawing.

To all iv/mm it may concern.

Be it known that I, WALTER Honor of Chester, in the county of Delaware, and in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 12, 1913.

Patented J an. 18,1916.

Serial No. 773,199.

The composition containing lead azid, and having the proportions referred to, forms an exceedingly good detonating compound and gives excellent results when used as a. primcertain new and useful Improvement in I ing charge for detonators containing a main 5'5 Compositions for Detonating Explosive charge of trinitrotoluene, picric acid, etc., Charges, and do hereby declare that the fol although it also gives excellent results with lowing is art'ull, clear, and exact description other similar'explosives. The lead azid comthen-colt. position may be readily ignited by, a fuse My invention relates particulaii'ly to an and detonates with such a high velocity that 60 improvement in compositions used for deta small amount of this mixture is sufficient (mating (BXPiOSlVI, charges, such for ex to completely detonate the main charge. ample as charges of dynamite. There is no diiiiculty in producing the mixllitherto detonators of this character have ture of the ingredients. If desired, the con '15 usually contained fuiminate of mercury, stituents may be mixed with a small amount 65 either throughout the whole charge in the of binding material, such .as gum arabic. dctonator, or in the priming charge merely, The amount of gum arabic used in the above Where the dctonator contains a main charge compositions is preferably from 0.01. to 0.1 which cannot be detonated by a fuse and a parts. o this purpose 0.02 parts of gum 2o priming charge to be detonated hya fuse. arabic may be added, for example, to the 70 Such detonator compositions have. usually composition containing 80 parts of lemlzizid been made by mixing with the fulminate of and parts of trinitrotoluene. The mixmercury a quantity of an oxidizing agent, ture so obtained is fine grained and free runsuch for example as chlorate of potassium. ning, and can be readily loaded into a deto- Certain other explosives have been substinator shell. The pressing of the charge 7 tuted for the fulminate of mercury, such for may be accomplished in the usual manner. example as lead azid YMNQ diazo com- Such a composition is suitable for use either pounds, etc. Such prin'iary detonators do not as the entire charge of a detonator or merely themselves contain sul'licient oxygen forcomas a priming charge therein, as it will deto- 'plete combustion, and it has therefore genernate a main charge of less sensitive material, 80

ally been thought necessary to add an oxidizvery effectively. ing agent, such for example as chlorate of While I have described my invention potassium. l have, however, discovered that above in detail, I Wish it to he understood a more effective detonation can he obtained that many changes may be made therein by usin instead of an oxidizing agent a Without departing from the spirit of my in 85 nitro-hydrocarhon of the aromatic series, vention, and that the terms used therein such for example as trinitrotoluene. shall be interpreted in their broad signifi- F/hile my invention is capable of being canoe. For example, the Word detonator is carried out in many different Ways, for the to he understood as including among other 40 purpose of illustration 1 may produce a detdevices dynamite caps which are to be ignited 90 coating composition in accordance with my by a flame from a fuse, as wellas electric invention in the following manner detonators in Which the charge is ignited by Such a detonating composition may be an electric current. made by adding to 90 parts of fuln'iinate of I claim:

mercury 10 parts of trinitrotoluene, Or a 1. A. charge for blasting caps containing 95 composition may he formed by adding to a mixture of 70 to parts of lead and-and to 95 parts-of lead azid, 5 to 30 parts of 5' to 30 parts of trinitrotoluene. trinitrotolnone; For example, particular 2. A priming charge for blasting caps composition may be made by adding to 80 containing a mixture of 70 to, parts of 50 parts of lead azid 20 parts of trinitrotoluene. lead and and 5 to 30 parts of trinitrotoluene.

g magma-2 3. A charge for blasting caps containing in testimony that I claim the foregoing I a mixture of 80 parts 01 lead azid and 20 h ive hereunto set my hand.

parts of trinitrotoluene. WALTER RUNGE.

4. A priming charge for blasting caps Witnesses: l 5 containing a mixture of 80 parts of lead azid CHAS. G. Wonnnnow,

and 20 parts of trinitrotoluene. WM. P. LEAR. 

